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Andrews Question - DARMAR

Posted: Apr 23, 2015

I don't understand why so many people are attending Andrews as it isn't on the AHIMA approved coding certificate program directory. From what I have been reading, Andrews is highly regarded as an excellent school. Am I missing something?

Yes, you are missing something. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Actually, you are making an unwarranted assumption, which is that not being on that list means a school is bad.

What you are not getting is that Andrews is not even eligible to apply because they are the wrong KIND of school. They are not a college that takes federal financial aid.

Yes, they are exceptional. They teach MORE than what is required for approved programs and they teach it well. They teach enough that their grads qualify to take and pass the CCS exam. "Approved" programs cannot do that--they are limited to only going as far as the CPC or CCA.

What matters is that CCS, not whether a school is approved.

Not trying to make an unwarranted assumption - DARMAR

[ In Reply To ..]
I stated that Andrews is highly regarded, so I didn't think that not being included on the list means a school is bad. I thought maybe someone would know what criteria is used to determine what schools are included on their list. Career Step is on the list and they do NOT accept federal financial aid as payment, so that must not be the criteria used.

I am just starting to look into coding as a possible career choice and I just want to make the best schooling choice for me that is affordable. I have read that the school you attend is very important to employers and I have read that all that matters to employers is your certification(s). There is a lot of information out there and I am just trying to sort through it.

Thank you for your information regarding what certification is the most important.

Well, this is what you said... - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
This is what you started out with, and it sets a somewhat confrontational tone, whether you intended it or not: "I don't understand why so many people are attending Andrews as it isn't on the AHIMA approved coding certificate program directory."

First of all, AHIMA is not the end-all and be-all of coding. The entire outpatient coding side of the industry, which is huge, affiliates primarily with the AAPC. They often don't even know what AHIMA is. That is because AHIMA focuses on HOSPITAL health information administration, including coding.

The school you attend may be important to some AHIMA-focused employers in hospitals, but that focus applies mostly to uncredentialed NEW coders. Once you have the CPC and the CCS, they stop focusing on the school. That is because the CCS is evidence that you HAD the education they want ... you can't even qualify to sit for the exam without it.

AHIMA-approval is not evidence that you will qualify to take the CCS. Even their own program does not qualify, many colleges do not, and most other programs do not, including CS.

FYI, I do happen to know the eligibility criteria. They are posted on their website. They had been approving a lot of private, non-college programs. After complaints from colleges which were annoyed by the loss of business, they restricted approval to colleges, i.e., those which take federal aid. Programs which no longer qualified were dropped, except for one or two that somehow got forgotten in the glare of their platinum donor status.

You also have to consider curriculum. While approval of a curriculum seems to imply that it meets the minimum, it is not as obvious that it must also not exceed it. It must be taught in the manner and sequence the organization feels is appropriate. In other words, everybody must go in lockstep teaching med terms, then AP, then some other "prerequisite," then another, until coding is tossed in as an afterthought. And every time the content requirements change, everybody must comply. You cannot teach MORE and you cannot teach differently.

Some schools choose not to apply because they prefer to continue using their tried and true sequencing, or integration of AP and pathophysiology with the coding, and to offer coding almost continuously through the entire program.

There are many reasons why a school is not approved, the most obvious of which is that they did not care to spend the money and time on it. It is an expensive and time-consuming process that YOU, the student, pay for.

Did that explain it?

Andrews Grad and make a few bucks shy of 20/hr - subxt3

[ In Reply To ..]
for my first starter coding job.. the school doesn't matter as much as what you know in both inpatient/outpatient and being familiar with the insurance part somewhat.

Are you working remotely? - DARMAR

[ In Reply To ..]
or do you work at a hospital? Did it take long for you to get your starter job?

work at the university... - subxt3

[ In Reply To ..]
in a sepeate building where we cater to all the hospitals and doctors in the vicinity. It took a year after graduating to find a job.. it was easy but I persevered

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